Alaska Commercial Company's roots can be traced back to 1776 when Catherine the Great granted trading rights to the Russian-American Trading Company. The Russian Trading Company operated trading posts throughout Alaska, trading goods and services for furs, gold and other tradable goods. When the United States bought Alaska from Russia in 1867, the firm was sold to San Francisco merchants, Gerstle and Louis Sloss. The new company was re-named the Alaska Commercial Company. From 1868, to the Gold Rush Days of the early 1900's, Alaska Commercial Company was a provider of groceries and general merchandise for trappers, explorers and gold seekers. These village stores, operating under the red Alaska Commercial Company flag, became the center of all community activities. The Company served as the Post Office, community hall, courtroom, marriage parlor, funeral home and a safe haven for travelers. It also served as the bank extending credit to customers working as trappers, miners and fishermen. Very little cash was used to purchase merchandise. The customers traded with pelts, gold, artifacts, fish, or whatever might have value to other customers. In the early 1900's, the people who had come to Alaska for the gold rush were leaving. The number of AC stores began to shrink. The Company was reorganized to fewer stores, a navigation company and river barge lines. In 1922, the Company was sold to a group of employees and re-named the Northern Commercial Company.